Early Buddhism seems to point to Mara as metaphorical. IE, our own inner demons. However, when Buddhism spread to other countries Mara was seen as an actual being. I prefer the earlier version personally.

There are demon-like beings in Buddhism. Mostly they are in the realm of hungry spirits and the lower heavens. These are for example the naga (aquatic serpent demons), yaksha (nature spirits), rakshasa (man-eating demons), pishacha (flesh-eating demons), kimnara (centaurs), asura (warrior gods), mahoraga (subterranean serpent demons).

1Myriad dharmas are only mind. Mind is unobtainable. What is there to seek?2If the Buddha-Nature is seen,there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.3Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.4With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,the six paramitas and myriad meansare complete within that essence.

Ervin wrote:That says that so called Mara the demon is karma. Isn't demon a being with intelligence and karma an impersonal physical law?

Thanks

There are both.

A "māra" can refer to a personal mental obstacle of sorts (kleśa-māra) while it can also refer to an intelligent being. The Māra King is a deva named Paranirmita-vaśavartin or Pāpīyan in the sixth heaven of the desire realm. There are numerous other lesser māras, demons and spirits which Astus outlined above.

These demons are not physical beings as we would normally perceive them. The word "spirit" in English might be best used to describe them. They can directly attack people and this often manifests as mental illness, but can also result in possession or in milder cases otherwise irrational impulses. People undergoing emotional trauma are especially susceptible to such possession. Both Tibetan and Indian Ayurveda diagnose and address these illnesses. Daoism and some schools of East Asian Buddhism are able to address these problems as well. Some western occult traditions like the Order of the Golden Dawn have their methods too.

Seishin wrote:Early Buddhism seems to point to Mara as metaphorical. IE, our own inner demons. However, when Buddhism spread to other countries Mara was seen as an actual being. I prefer the earlier version personally.

Gassho,Seishin

I disagree. I think the ideas of Māra and devas were there from the start. By the Buddha's own admission these beings exist.

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

Ervin wrote:That says that so called Mara the demon is karma. Isn't demon a being with intelligence and karma an impersonal physical law?

Thanks

Good question. Karma means action. What comes around, goes around. Actions and intentions can harden into habits. Habits of mind that are harmful or poisonous (think about hatred, insatiable greed, plain old ignorance) behave like demons.